A Frozen Heart
by Howls Apprentice
Summary: On a long term mission, Ino finds herself drawn to a certain man. However, after this man betrays her and her team, will her heart be frozen forever?
1. Chapter 1

A Frozen Heart

A Frozen Heart

The bitter wind bit into the skin on Ino's face as she trekked through the cold land of snow country. The setting sun reminded her that she had only reached the land of snow this very day. She had originally been excited about the current mission she was on. She had been chosen as the new ambassador for the Leaf Village and the Land of Snow. She was supposed to have traveled in a stylish caravan, out of the cold. That had been up until the new ninja village, Ice, attacked. Now she was trekking towards her final destination, the palace of the land of snow. 'It's about damn time,' she thought to herself.

Turning behind her, she made the all clear sign. Following behind her appeared her two main bodyguards for the mission, Naruto Uzumaki and Kiba Inuzuka. Naruto was 18 and had the remnants of a broad sword strapped to his back. Kiba held nothing in his hands, save for the fur of his ninden, Akamaru. Both were wearing winter parkas and had large backpacks strapped to their backs. Behind them followed an army of Naruto's, carrying the essentials for their updated mission.

Everything had changed when that ninja had arrived. Ino's thoughts wavered back to the attack launched at noon. _The caravan had stopped to rest for a bit, taking a moment to prepare lunch and recheck the maps. Ino had waited in the caravan, wondering when Naruto and Kiba would give the all clear. Then things started happening all at once. She heard the alarm cry, followed by the sound of something large shattering and breaking. Not long after, a torrent of ice in the form of a dragon smashed through the side of the caravan. The wooden structure was shattered to pieces and Ino was splashed with the blood of the snow country samurai standing at her door. She quickly rushed forward and began to heal the one closest to her, a fatal wound already progressing too quickly._

_ She had been surprised at what she had seen next. A lone ninja stood over her, the body completely covered in mithril chakra armor. Flecks of blue were scattered throughout the armor, and the face was masked by a horrible visage of a monster. Ino fought down the urge to scream, and instead stood to face her masked assailant. Before she could do anything though, a letter dropped at her feet. _

_It had held a clear message. "We are the ninja of the ice. We wish to be recognized as a hidden village of our own, and will have no part in the treaty between the land of snow, and the land of fire. We do not wish to ally ourselves with those who would treat demons as humans. If you do not recognize us, we shall take the life of the princess, and then wage war against your land. If you do recognize us, send us the demon in your midst. Send him alone. You have until the winter solstice to reply to our demands. For every month you delay, a royal family shall die."_

_The winter solstice was five months away. There were six royal families. And Ino's job just became a lot harder than Tsunade said it would. _


	2. Chapter 2

Ino bit her lip, glancing between her hand and the two grinning shinobi sitting across from her. She knew she was in a bind when the feral grins on both of their faces got lewdier and their eyes began to glint. Gulping down a bit of fear, she placed her chips in the center, matching the current bid.

"You know what the means, don't you Ino?" The voice drawled out of the young whisker marked blond, filling the small quarters the two men shared.

"It means that if you lose, you're out of chips…which means you have to start betting something else…" Naruto's snicker was cut short by a large dog nipping at his leg playfully.

"See that Naruto, that's what you get if you say perverted things around Akamaru". The rumbling laughter echoed out of a short brown haired man, red face marks cutting across his face.

"Let go you danged mutt!" Naruto ripped his pant leg away from the dog, and shot a pained look at Kiba. "It was your idea to play strip poker tonight Kiba if I so recall" Naruto shot at Kiba.

"Yeah, but he knows not to bite his master. Now, if I told him to go after a certain fox, he'd definitely be up for the hunt." Kiba's grin grew as Naruto got an even more pained expression.

Turning away sharply, Naruto reached over to his swelling stack of poker chips and tossed some into the center. "Alright, we all ready to see the river?" Naruto's hand swept over the cards as Kiba tossed in his last few chips. Up came an ace of hearts, a king of spades and a queen of hearts.

All three ninja turned back to their cards intently, focusing on their hands while trying to give nothing away. Naruto smiled in glee to himself, he had two queens and was sitting pretty at the start of this round. 'It won't be too much longer before the others are out at this rate' Naruto thought to himself.

The swinging light played over Kiba's hand as he hid his dismay. 'Damn, this ship ride is not my favorite way to reach the snow country. Plus, my cards suck tonight'. Kiba stared at a seven and a two of clubs, nothing in the river helping him out. He was down to less than a hundred ryo worth in chips as well. 'Damn that Naruto and his ever present lucky streek'. Kiba reached out and took a sip from his sake cup. 'His sake's always really strong too'. The Inuzuka winced as he took a draw from it before setting it down. 'Guess I better pass on this round'.

Ino looked at the river in disbelief. She had a king and a jack of hearts, and had managed to draw to an inside straight. She looked over her pitiful remaining chips, only five or so left. 'If I let either of those two idiots bid me up, I'm really going to have to go all in…unless I want to consider Naruto's option of a thousand ryo a clothing item'. Ino gulped, looking across the small table at the mall opposite her. True, she had grown to like the man, but she wasn't sure she wanted him to see her in her birthday suit yet.

Naruto continued to chuckle to himself over his cards as Kiba passed his chance to bid. Naruto's smile only grew wider. 'I'm so going to win this hand' Naruto thought to himself. His hand reached over to his pile, and he pushed in a hundred ryo worth of coins. "You in Kiba?" Naruto smiled as he watched Kiba flip his cards face down on the pile. 'Too easy'. "What about you Ino? Gonna take me on here, or maybe cash in some clothes for some money?" Naruto's smile only widened further as he watched the platinum beauty smirk back at him.

"You only wish you could get inside my purple skirt fox boy!" Ino's haughty reply caught Naruto offguard as she put in the rest of her chips. "Flip the cards Whiskers, I want to see what you came to play with." Naruto burned the first card, flipping the second to reveal a ten of hearts. 'Mine' thought Ino. "Hey Naruto, how about we make things real interesting?" Ino smiled as wide as she could, laying down a piece of paper. "You choose what you want me to take off for each 1000 ryo, in what order, and I'll do it if I lose. If I win though, you get first watch tonight and hand over the rest of the coin. I have far more clothes on then you have coin, of that I'm sure." She purred this out as the blond man began to blush and gibber. 'Wow, all this from the guy who mastered the Kyuubi and defeated Pain…guess we should be glad he doesn't fall to all kunoichi'.

The smile and blush coming from Ino had Naruto completely distracted. He feebly reached out and took the paper. 'Better to back out, Ino doesn't bluff…but the chance of seeing her, all of her…gah, what is she doing this for?' Naruto's hand trembled with indecision before he quickly scratched something down and shoved it with his chip into the pile. "You're so going down Yamanaka!" Naruto cried, burning a card and flipping the last one, a queen of clubs, the only one Naruto was missing. His smile was slow at first, spreading to his cheeks as he blessed his great luck. "Hah, four queens, ace high! Beat that Blondie!" Naruto shouted, throwing his cards down.

There was a lurch in the ship suddenly, all three grabbing their cards, the lamp light swinging precariously. "What the hell was that?" Kiba asked, Akamaru quickly by his side, sniffing the surroundings. Naruto's eyes closed quickly, snapping open with a cross highlighting his features, his signature balance of fox and sage chakra.

"It doesn't seem to be anything unusual Kiba" came the rough voice of Naruto. "The waves are really getting rough though, and it feels like a storm is coming towards us. Still, we should be fine." Ino stood, calming her senses, pushing them out to check for any genjutsu intrusions. All three of them were on high alert, the recent wars having put an edge into the young shinobi. Slowly, Kiba and Ino returned to the table, satisfied that nothing was coming through the cabin doors or the ships floors. Still, none of them liked being blind in the ship cabins. If it wasn't for the fact that ninja were not supposed to be seen with their escort, they would be by her side. They would be by her side when they arrived to the Land of Spring.

"Come on Ino, I'm waiting to see you remove those clothes in the order I set down" Naruto smiled cheekily, his mind already returned to the game.

"Sorry to disappoint whiskers, but you lose. Ino laid her hand down slowly, pulling the cards from the river towards her displayed flush. The ten first, then her jack, then the queen, her king lying next to it, and finally the ace completing a perfect flush. The two men stared in absolute shock, unable to stand the sight before them. Ino's hands raked all the chips towards her waiting arms. "Well, it was fun boys, but we've got serious business to discuss now." She had to bite back a laugh as she looked at Kiba, who merely scowled, pulling his coins back towards himself. Naruto was worse, his face stuck in complete shock as he tried to comprehend what just happened. Deciding to open the note Naruto wrote, Ino let out a real laugh, waking Naruto from his reverie.

"Wait, please don't read that outloud!" Naruto reached out, trying to pull the note back. His hand fell just short though, the Yamanaka pulling it out of reach. Naruto's face fell as Ino opened the note, only to have her face turn a very bright pink shade.

_Rip it all off like you did that night we went out drinking. _Ino had thought he had forgotten that night from the heavy drinking they had done the next night. 'I guess not' she thought smiling. She quickly folded the note, hiding it from Kiba who had been circling to get a look. "Don't worry Naruto, I'm not going to read it out loud. I wouldn't want to spoil Kiba's good imagination" The note quickly disappeared down her shirt, the blush spreading to her cheeks.

"All right, so, here's the news for the mission." Ino reached into her back pocket and pulled out a scroll. Unsealing it, she laid out several pieces of paper. "It seems that the Land of Spring has been invaded following the recent fall of Pain, Sasuke, and Madara." Naruto nodded, grimacing to himself over the loss of his former comrade. He and Killer Bee had taken out Sasuke together. Madara had fallen after the seven other bijuu were released and combined within the two ninja. After Killer Bee had fallen, the rest of the Bijuu invaded Naruto, who by some miracle of willpower held them all together to defeat the ancient Uchiha. It was several months before the tailed beasts were again separated by Naruto, giving each one to certain villages. "It seems that the majority of the Akatsuki fled in different directions. We have reports from the land of spring that Zetsu and Kisame are moving around there. It will be up to us to hunt them down while managing an escort for the princess of the fire country. The princess is to marry into the family of Princess Yukie, a lesser male cousin to allow for a full treaty between the lands." Ino paused as she looked over at Naruto, who was frowning at the last statement.

"Does this kid want to marry into the family? I mean, how old is she?" Naruto paused as Ino sighed in a parental manner.

"Yes, she wants to marry him Naruto. He's been courting her for the last few years. It is something both the Hokage and the Daimyo approved of". Ino shook her head as Naruto's face lit up. "Allright then, that's the mission. Go and get ready now, it's going to be a while yet before we get there."

With that, Ino turned and left the boys to their room, smiling as she closed the door. 'So he did remember that night, huh? Sounds like he might even want some more…' Ino had a fairly lewd smile on her face as she remembered the last time she went drinking with Naruto.

Author's Note: Sorry for the long hiatus, had to deal with college and first two years have been rough. But, I'm back after much waiting, and will continue the story after this first little entry. The first chapter is really just to attract attention, from here on out the story progresses normally. If you want some background on the Naruto x Ino story, check out my oneshot "Do you remember?" Until then later folks! Note: The level was upped to mature, this will be a much different than before. College did great things for my writing skills.


	3. Chapter 3

Kiba yawned loudly, breaking Naruto's concentration. He had a perfect view of Ino's behind as she walked away, with all of its swaying, swinging allure. His thoughts also snapped back into focus as he realized he would have first watch. 'Damn, not only am I out a couple thousand ryo, but I have first watch.' A slight scowl settled over his face, as he considered what he would need for the watch.

"Well, I'm going to bed Naruto, wake me for the second shift, k?" Kiba turned and walked out of the room, Akamaru close behind. Naruto mumbled a response before heading for his room on the left of the cabin. Opening the door, he looked over his dingy sleeping quarters. 'A simple cot, some drawers, and a roof so low I have to stoop…some reward for defeating Akatsuki'. Naruto bowed into the lesser abode, quickly going through his stash of clothes before finding a jerkin and some boots. A puff of smoke later and a simple sailor girl stood looking over her gear. "Let's see, got my weather gear, some ninja supplies, and a couple of basic weapons and such. Alright, we should be good to go!" The blonde quickly exited the room, his false female body moving smoothly across the rocking boat.

Entering the commons he turned to his right before stopping at the gangway. Looking across the way, he saw Ino's room with the door closed, thoughts racing through his mind. 'It's been only a few weeks since the two of us went out drinking, but I still can't shake the image of her from my head.' Naruto forcefully pushed himself up the stairs, breaking his reverie. He saw the nightguard on watch and moved forward to remove the old man. The grizzled sailor nodded to the ninja, aware only that the female was one of the main ninja on the mission.

'I've had to hide my identity since the defeat of Akatsuki whenever I do any dangerous mission outside of Konoha recently. Seems that even the lack of my presence makes other countries anxious.' Naruto chuckled to himself at this, thinking back to when he was called dead last. That sadly brought him to a rather dark place. 'Sasuke. How long has it been since I killed you, and even now I can't rid you from my mind…' The rain started falling, piteously hiding the young warrior's tears.

_The wind was blowing hard on that day, lighting flashing across the sky as the two warriors faced each other at the valley of the end. Madara Uchiha had been placed under a powerful seal by the five kages, leaving Naruto and Killer Bee to face off against Sasuke and Kisame. Kisame was taken out early in the fight, Naruto deciding to go all out in the fight from the beginning. The fight with Sasuke took much longer. The power of Tsusano was devastating; had it not been for the combined power of their tailed beasts, Sasuke would not have fallen. Still, the fight ended with Killer Bee greatly wounded and Sasuke and Naruto on the brink of life. When the team was discovered by Kakashi, Sakura and Sai, Sakura immediately ran and began to heal Naruto. In the end, she used the resurrection jutsu that she had seen Grandma Chio use on Gaara. Naruto awoke to her dead weight on his chest, Sasuke passed beside them. It had taken everything in Naruto not to break down as the rain began to fall. _

'It was months after when Killer Bee and I tracked down Madara…the battle that ensued took the lives of Killer Bee and three of the five kages' Naruto's thoughts were very depressed now, his hands gripping tightly to the railing of the ship as the waves swelled and tossed the vessel. Naruto noticed the flapping sail and quickly jumped into the mizzen mast. The cords had gotten lose in the storm, causing the ship to luff in the chilling tempest. Naruto leaped up into the rigging, catching the rope as it went whipping past. When he paused to look at it, the chill of the rain became a secondary concern. 'This ropes been cut. That means we have a saboteur around here somewhere'.

Quickly retying the line, Naruto jumped to the crow's nest. Calling on both his sage powers and his demon powers, Naruto pushed his senses to the maximum. 'I still can't tell if they're nearby…hell, I'm not even sure if they are still here.' Naruto craned his neck from left to right, checking over all the other riggings. Everything seemed in place as he looked across the spar to the right, but he still felt a chill run down his spine. 'There is definitely something foul here'.

A flash of lightning struck through the sky, and a faint outline could be seen charging in the rain. Naruto's senses went into overdrive, quickly discerning the shape of an enemy ninja, well cloaked in the Invisibility Technique. Ripping a kunai from his pouch, Naruto brought the short blade up to block the opponents attack. The foe slammed into the attack, stopped quickly by Naruto's savage strength. Naruto formed a rasengan in his free hand, but his foe had already jumped away, slipping into the falling rain. The lack of light beyond the ship lanterns had Naruto panicked to find his foe. His keen senses picked up the sound of the kunai about to strike, allowing Naruto enough time to shift and dodge the attack. While the blow wouldn't have hurt him, it did no good to alert his enemy to that. The faintest sound of a body striking water alerted Naruto to the departure of his enemy.

'They must have a ship nearby. Figures they'd attack under the confusion of the storm.' Naruto dispersed several clones, two to wake the captain and two to get Kiba and Ino. Naruto grabbed the kunai stuck in the wood, before quickly descending to the bottom of the ship. It was then that he noticed a rushing noise.

Turning behind him, he saw nothing but a solid wall of water, ready to crash down upon the ship. In front of him was a normal, pithy set of storm waves. 'That one behind us is not natural. Well, guess it's time I earned my pay. Hope these sails can take the damage.' Naruto focused a great deal of wind chakra, quickly gathering it while also summoning several more shadow clones. He rushed through the gathering of the wind chakra, focusing more on drawing in large amounts as the wave pulled the ship inexorably up it's climb.

'Damnit, that wave's got to be at least forty feet high. Oh well, here goes nothing. If this doesn't work, the rest of the trip's going to get real interesting.' At first there was nothing as the wind energy burst forth. Then, a great gale picked up, pushing the ship faster, ahead of the wave, past the wave, and even out of the tempest the ship had sailed into. The mast creaked under the strain, the sails pulled tight, rattling from the strain. As the wind ceased, Naruto looked far into the distance. 'I think that's land up there…holy shit, did I just cover a days worth of sailing! Nice!' Smiling to himself at the lucky escape, he was scared witless when a very drowsy Kiba placed an arm around his shoulders.

"Mind warning a guy when you're planning on jumping to hurricane speed, eh?" Kiba whispered into his ear, pulling the female Naruto over to the group. "What happened when you were up there?" Kiba asked, quickly noting the faint smell coming from the foreign kunai.

"I thought we had a mole onboard. Turns out we just got ambushed during the storm. I don't even think that was a real storm, just a powerful ninjutsu."

The blonde had his face scrunched up in concentration, focused on the remaining member of Akatsuki.

"Some power to create a storm like that for such a long time. I guess you would know though, being our resident powerhouse." Kiba paused, taking the proffered kunai from Naruto. Akamaru sniffed the weapon in Kiba's hand before moving off to the side. "Ino went and secured the captain with your shadow clones. She said to have you report to her in the morning, for now we're on a double watch with no sleep."

"Wonderful. This night just gets better and better." Naruto grumbled before turning to the crow's nest. "I'm going to go up there and keep watch for the next little while. "Let me know when we're supposed to get some sleep, k?" Naruto made the leap in one move, the removal of the storm greatly aiding his acrobatics. Turning to face behind the ship, he saw the storm clouds flickering lightning. 'Even with that gale force wind pushing us, the storm is still right behind us. That definitely is a technique of some kind. This is going to prove troublesome.' Naruto chuckled lightly to himself. 'I think I'm spending too much time with Shikamaru at the Barbeque shop.'


	4. Chapter 4

Ino checked the cabin over once, looking into each corner as she made sure that everything was clear. The captain and princess were in the main quarters of the ship, backs against the ship wall with Ino standing in front of the main door, her broadsword drawn. The two clones Naruto had sent to retrieve her were positioned outside the door, both transformed into simple crates, waiting for any surprise attack.

Settling the blade in front of herself, she ran a fine edge of chakra around the edge like Asuma sensei had taught her. 'I'm glad he got to teach me this before he died' she thought to herself, her mind focusing on the task at hand. She reached her consciousness out then stabbed her blade into the wooden deck. Pushing through the required chakra, she released one of families signature jutsu. "Mass mind reading technique".

Thoughts from around the ship flooded her consciousness, each one focused on a different crew member, many asleep. 'I didn't know Naruto was such a popular female ninja' Ino thought. Several of the crewmen had very naughty thoughts about the transformed Naruto. 'I'll have to let him know that when we arrive.' Ino blushed to herself, thinking of the reaction she would get.

'Seem's like our guests either aren't on the ship, or are using the memory erasing technique.' Ino grimaced as she finished her task, focusing her consciousness back to her immediate surroundings. 'Well, that was largely unfruitful…guess it's time for the old personal interrogation techniques.' A slight gleam came into the kunoichi's eyes. 'I guess I'll have to go make Anko sempia proud.'

The manic grin on her face set the captain and princess on edge, only furthered as the young maiden ripped her blade from the deck. "I'm leaving two guards outside the door here. You are free to move about this cabin, and I will have food brought to you, but for your safety you must remain here." Ino turned, placing her curved blade back into the hilt. "There was an attack on this evening, indicating not only that our enemy was able to discern which of our operatives were aboard but that the target is onboard as well." Ino fished into her pocket and procured a sealed scroll.

"What will happen if they attack again? This is an A-ranked mission right? That's what father said he would pay for!" The princess was obviously distressed, her hair in shambles from the rough awakening Ino had given. It was essential for the princess to be secured, but Ino still felt bad for rousing the girl in the middle of the night.

"This scroll should offer some protection. If you feel you are in grave danger, or one of us shows up, open this scroll and place your hand on the blank circle." Ino leaned down, pulling a kunai from her leg pouch. Taking the princesses hand, she pricked just a bit of a finger.

"Ouch! What the hell are you doing?" The captain quickly shushed the child.

"She's setting the scroll to activate upon your use of it." Reaching his hand out the old man consented to Ino pricking his hand as well. "There, now both of us can activate it, your highness. It will allow both of us to keep each other safe."

Ino nodded, before quickly using a tiny bit of chakra to heal the little wounds. "See, not even a scar left behind. Now then, you two just stay put, I'll be back in a little while." Stepping outside, the blonde noticed Kiba and Akamaru pulling Naruto aside. 'Good. That little wind trick got us out of harm's way, but it still was a bit frightening.' Ino watched as the young man bounded into the crow's nest. 'Guess he was a bit freaked out by the attack. Then again, he has some strong connections with the people of the Land of Spring.'

Shaking her head of these thoughts, Ino proceeded across the deck, shifting between water and wood walking on the slippery deck. 'This ship was chosen to keep the princess safe, as it would be very indiscriminate on the high seas.' Ino frowned as she progressed nearer to Kiba, motioning him over.

"Akamaru and I couldn't pick up any scent from the guy. Normally, even in this weather, we could get something, especially with a kunai from the guy in front of us." Kiba shook his head, Akamaru relaxing under his master's hand. "I don't know Ino, this guy seemed professional, at least jonin level. Normally Naruto would be able to flatten a guy like that, but this one came out of nowhere he said." The beast master was obviously concerned, shaking his head as he looked over the ship.

"Well, like I said, double watch tonight. Break out the soldier pills if you have to, Tsunade gave us a week's worth for this mission. I'll handle the middle shift with you, Naruto and I can take the morning shift." Ino placed her hand on the young man's shoulder. "I know I'm asking a lot of you two, but you're both some of the strongest ninja in the village. I'm sure you can handle it." Kiba nodded as Ino proceeded down into the cabin.

'Yeah, we are the strongest ninja in battle. Naruto's in a class of his own, but my lighting and fire techniques, combined with Akamaru give us a great deal of strength. On top of that, the dog contract we signed with Kakashi has been a great help.' The young man smiled at this, ruffling Akamaru's head. 'But it's our emotional strength I worry about. Especially Naruto. Losing Sakura really tore him up. Much like Hinata and myself.' The final battle with Madara had taken a toll on the leaf village shinobi, especially the kind hearted ones like Hinata. She pushed herself, saving many friends and allies, and yet she eventually fell to chakra exhaustion instead of any foe.

'Yeah, both of us got saved by those women. And now both of us are without them' Kiba's mood threatened to outdo the dark night of waves and sea. Akamaru, sensing his master's discomfort reached out and bit sharply on his hand. "Ow! God damn it Akamaru, that hurt! You're not a little pup anymore, you know?" The dog merely smiled at his master, nuzzling against the offended hand before licking it. "Yuck, now you go and lick it too? Ugh, sometimes you're a pain, you know that?" Akamaru merely barked and rubbed against the shinobi's hand more. "Fine, we'll do some rounds around the ship."

Feeling the night's edge get to him, Kiba took out a soldier pill, one for Akamaru and one for himself. "Here, you start the rounds, and I'll tell Naruto of the shifts, ok?" Akamaru greatfully leaned out and took the pill from Kiba, his fur turning a deep russet red. "Play nice with the other sailors though, allright?" Kiba smiled as his dog loped across the ship, his large form standing out among the alerted night crew, awake and ready for a further attack.

Using the strength of the soldier pill, Kiba shot up into the railings, quickly making his way to the crow's nest. "Hey, Naruto, we got more orders from the boss lady." Naruto grunted, continuing his sweep of the water.

'You know, Shikamaru is right, she is troublesome' the blonde thought to himself. "All right, what's the order for the watch?" Naruto relaxed for a second, turning to face the other teen.

"You and I are up first, Ino takes last two. You get the first and last ones".

"Good. That gives me a little chance to sleep. I take it we are on soldier pills rations for the rest of the time?"

"Yeah, hopefully it won't be too bad. I don't know about you, but after a day or two they leave me edgy."

Naruto nodded his agreement, looking over the railing. "All right, so you want the rounds downstairs, right?" Kiba nodded, turning and jumping off the railing. 'This is going to be a long night' Naruto thought to himself, turning back to his post.

Morning found the sea breeze blowing through Naruto's hair, his clones spread out across the deck in various guises. 'I really should think about staffing a ship all on my own at this rate.' Chuckling to himself as he moved around the ship, Naruto was glad to see the shoreline in sight. 'I don't think that's the right port from what I remember. Guess my wind boost put us a little off course. Oh well, we can hire out a train at least now that we're here.'

The princess was known to be marrying the lord here; it was the passage that was tricky. Not only were they passing near the sound village on the trip, the very departure of Naruto from Konoha could raise village suspicions elsewhere.

'I may have a good rep in some countries, but the world at large knows me as the one who defeated Pain and Madara. I guess it makes sense that others are a little afraid of me.' Naruto turned and looked at the city.

Ino called Naruto to the main mast, joined quickly by Kiba from below deck. "Guess we made it here in one piece." She turned and handed the two additional scrolls. "These contain the rest of the mission parameters. Read them at your leisure while we dock. We are a little off from our original location, but we will be arriving at a decent village where we should be able to lie low." To the relief of all the ninja the storm from the night before had not returned, nor was it anywhere on the horizon.

Nodding, the two male ninja accepted the scrolls. "I'll see both of you after we land for the debriefing. Catch a few z's if you can, I know I will be." With that, the blonde performed the Body Flicker technique, returning to her bed.

"I'm going to give this a read over, I already popped a soldier pill a little bit ago" Naruto turned, jumping into the main mast, leaving Kiba by himself.

"Well, come on Akamaru, we'll just go see if we can find some grub downstairs."

Author's Note: Hey everyone, big exam next week, so there will be at least a one week hiatus until I can get back into the swing of things. Expect similar sized posts each time. This one was a bit long to make up for the extra time away. Thanks again guys! Later!


	5. Chapter 5

Akamaru was carrying several plates on his back as Kiba managed to make his way back from the galley, having liberated the chef of quite a few exotic foods. 'I hope he shares some of this with me' Akamaru thought to himself as Kiba rubbed his hands together, opening the door to enter his and Naruto's shared quarter areas. The blond was buried in the mission scroll, his eyes scanning over the lines. So intent was he that Naruto did not rouse from his reading until Kiba pulled the lid off of a giant bowl of ramen. Kiba and Akamaru both watched in amusement as the blond slowly opened his nasal passages, inhaling the delectable scent.

Neurons quickly relating to Naruto what the delicious smell was, the shinobi became aware of his companions, and more importantly, the food they had presented. Without saying a word of thanks Naruto immediately began to slurp the noodles noisily, eating in a quick and disgusting manner. Still, the bowl was half the size of the man, and did take him some time to polish off. In the meantime, Kiba had opened one plate carrier and handed a giant ham bone to Akamaru. Kiba turned and revealed his plate of crab legs and began to crack the legs in anticipation.

The bowl and meal finished in silence, before Naruto turned seriously to Kiba. "I just finished the mission brief. We seem to have gotten ourselves into a bit of a mess" Naruto's eyes held a rarely seen seriousness. It was enough to spook the Inuzuka, his hair immediately pricking. "It seems that there are multiple reasons for this trip north, and a distinct reason why we were sent as a team, even though we have relatively little experience working together as a unit." Naruto picked the scroll up from the floor and pointed to a bulleted section. "We were chosen as a core unit of infiltration, tracking and firepower, as it seems that several of the Akatsuki defections have coalesced here. To make matters worse, it seems that the entire Takumi village has recently disappeared. Rumors have it that they have joined up with some of the northern artificers in the land of snow that are dissatisfied with the new reigning royal family." Naruto paused as Kiba took this all in.

Though Kiba hadn't been involved in the incident involving the Takumi village armor, he still had strong memories of the fight against Ni. It was a particularly difficult battle for him and Akamaru, and preceded his recent accomplishments in nature chakra manipulation. Still, the idea that the entire village of weapons makers had headed north and joined with rebellious factions boded ill for the current mission.

"So, why were we chosen for this mission?" Kiba ventured, almost afraid of the answer.

"We were chosen because of our firepower potential" Kiba looked confused for a second, causing Naruto to sigh before continuing. "I have a strong wind element, you have a strong lightning and fire element, and Ino has a Kekkai Genkai combining water and earth style. On top of that, my multishadow clone and sealing abilities give me an edge in capturing difficult targets, while your clan line has a great ability to track and Ino a great ability to interrogate. Combined with her healing powers and both your and my destructive capabilities, and even Akatsuki will have a tough battle on their hands".

Kiba was quickly ready with a counter though. "You can't use your full powers though outside the village anymore though, the nations are already on edge about the powers that you and Killer Bee unleashed during the fight with Madara. You especially."

Naruto nodded in agreement. "Yes, my powers are limited in the open, but sealing jutsu are hard to trace back to a single source, and if we should encounter Akatsuki, my jutsu will be able to divert enough interested attention so that I'm not revealed. That's the current plan at least."

Kiba snorted derisively. "Doesn't sound like much of a plan to me. It sounds like a hope and a prayer at best. Still, it's Tsunade's decision. I am wondering why so much excessive firepower is needed though, even if Akatsuki is involved. You stated the powers of Ino and I correctly, but Akatsuki are to be killed on sight, not interrogated or sealed. Why the change in policy there?"

Naruto squirmed for a second, before pushing the scroll forward again. "At the bottom there are two bits of information that will tell you why the policy changed. I'm not sure you really want to hear all of it, so I'll let you read it yourself."

"Just tell me Naruto. You know I can take it." Kiba grinned, a bit of his boyish defiance returning to his face.

"The last two bits of information are the most disturbing. It seems that several weeks ago, it came to the attention of Hiashi Hyuuga that the body of his deceased daughter, Hinata, had been replaced some time ago by a body double. It is suspected that her real body was never recovered during the battle with Madara. At the grave site there was a body double creation, perfect in every detail. But with it was also the mark of an Ouroboros, the new symbol of Kabuto. It is suspected that Kabuto has taken hold of the Byakugan, and will use it in some form or another. At the Takumi village, the Ouroboros was also found carved in the ground. It was in the shape of a divination rotation."

Kiba found his face changed to a grimace. 'Hinata's alive.' Joy coursed through him at this though, quickly crushed by the next. 'That bastard Kabuto has taken her body.' Rage rushed through the young man, his fists tight against his thighs, his vision blurring with unshed tears. Akamaru turned and nipped lightly at Kiba's wrist. Visibly getting his emotions under control, Kiba nodded for Naruto to continue.

'Seems there is more to their relationship than I thought' Naruto mused sadly to himself. "The other bit of information is that Ino Yamanaka has been selected as the hidden ambassador to serve as a link between Konoha and the Snow village." This rocked Kiba as well. The ambassadors were something that Naruto had designed during his trip around the world to return the tailed beasts to their proper homes. It was set up so that all villages would have a contact in each village, of at least decent power and strength to represent a bond of trust between each of the nations. To be selected one had to be a Jonin, and a powerful one at that. No special Jonin were allowed, and each ambassador had to come from at least a special clan with abilities to raise and pass down to the other nations. Still, many villages were unable or unwilling to agree with the program. So far only the five great villages had traded with one another, the lesser villages choosing to conserve their strength.

"I hadn't heard that the Snow Village had a promising enough Jonin to send to Konoha. They've only really been around for something like six years now haven't they?" Kiba's voice was laced with concern for the kunoichi.

"Seems they have provided a more than adequate trade for Ino. A male ninja with the bloodline to manipulate and create chakra inside metals and other materials is the offered trade. He is also a lightning and fire element, a rarity in the Snow village. Furthermore, his weapons will find a great deal of use in Konoha. He is also a master of sealing jutsu, and comes from a wealthy merchant family." Naruto sighed, looking over the paper in hopes that the words were incorrect. 'It still seems like a low bargaining price for Ino…then again, I am infatuated with her. Thanks to the fox though, I'll be stuck in Konoha until the day I die.' Naruto let another sigh escape his throat as he looked over the scroll.

'Seems there is more to his relationship with Ino then I was aware of' Kiba thought to himself. Brown hair suddenly rose over the table, picking up the ramen bowl. "I think I'm gonna go grab a bowl for the both of us, back in a second." Kiba moved out of the room, Akamaru deciding to stay behind and rub against the Uzumaki's hand. Naruto smirked, and playfully ruffed the dogs hair, his eyes lost in memories of his childhood. Hinata had always been there for him, and had done a great deal for him when he was younger. He had fancied himself smitten with the girl, but she was honestly to shy and well-mannered for the boisterous youth. 'Kiba though, he makes sense to be with her. I wish those two had gotten together, it might have saved her from what has probably happened.'

"Ten minutes to docking!" A loud call from the deck roused Naruto from his musings. Akamaru perked his ears up, bounding out to retrieve Kiba from the galley. Naruto changed into his disguise, transforming into his female look alike ninja for the mission. 'Shizuna Nagito, my look alike ninja'. The ninja disguise had been created for Naruto during his two year sojourn when he needed some spare time. Shizuna was a leaf chunin, hardly known about with a strong affinity for the wind element and not much else. She was strong, but not much else. The real person had died during the war with Madara, but it was not recorded in the annals. Naruto asked that the name be left out, along with several other unknown ninja to serve as body doubles for several other important ninja. Shizuna had blood red hair, cut so that it grew in length before reaching the face. Her skin was pure white, and she had a graceful figure. Her garb was simple and black, with several gear packs strapped to her body. 'No summoning jutsu, no sealing jutsu, and no super powered wind jutsu…I hate being limited like this, it's really not fair.' Naruto fumed silently as he proceeded up the steps, the sea breeze quickly hitting his nose.

The town was in full view now, the port full of bustling citizens coming and going from each area. The Land of Snow's advanced technology was definitely being used to its advantage; Naruto could see trolley cars and lights dotting the street in different areas, turning the small port into a bustling epicenter of activity.

"Hey Shizuna, we're needed for a mission briefing". Ino called to the female ninja, Kiba already waiting by her side. 'No body flicker as well' thought Naruto bitterly. 'Being a chunin all the time really sucks'.

"I take it you both read the mission briefing?" Ino asked, looking over the two ninja. Nods allowed her to continue. "Well, the new parameters have changed slightly. Originally we were going to land in the capital city, but thanks to that powerful storm, we've been diverted off course. We need to find and secure passage on a train nearby in the next day or so. We're also going to need to find out more about the mystery attack that took place. Shizuna, I'll need you to make sure some our 'guards' get placed around the princess for the next few days. In the meantime, Kiba and I will scour the town for information. You focus around the market district and the bars, as they should be safer for a chunin." 'Not to mention your experience with gathering information in those spots with Jaraiya' Ino thought to herself.

The other two ninja nodded their understanding. "We're going to be staying at the Inn nearest the port, in case a quick escape is needed over the next few days. It shouldn't be too hard to find. We'll meet up there in a few hours to go over what we have found, alright?"


	6. Chapter 6

Ino turned away from her companions as she headed down the gangplank that lead to the docks. 'Guess I'll start in the trading district and go from there'. Behind her, she heard the body flickers of Kiba and Naruto go flashing into the distance. Checking her gear and surroundings, Ino proceeded to find the captain who was currently surrounded by ten to fifteen samurai clones that Naruto had created. 'We'll probably have to pick up some actual guards as well now that were here. It wouldn't do for Naruto's identity to be betrayed by a chakra tracing type'. Ino grimaced as she thought of this. The loss of the clones was going to put them in a bit of trouble. They were useful for quick deployments, ate little to nothing, and required no supervision or training. 'Replacing them is also going to take a pretty penny out of the mission funds.' A wicked smile crept over her lips as she approached. 'Then again, I do have the money I won from the boys'.

The lead samurai nodded to her as she approached, smirking in kind with her smile. Ino checked herself for a moment, replacing her professional mask. The captain nodded to her, asking where they would be staying. "I'm going to have us set up at the local inn and keep most of the guards with the sailors on the ship here. It should allow us a quick escape if we are in need of one." Ino turned to the princess. "Your majesty, did you bring a body double along with you when we first set out?" The young woman nodded, bringing a smile to Ino's face. "Good, we're going to get her set up as soon as possible when we reach the inn then. Until then, we need to move quickly and safely. For now, stay inside the ring of the samurai wherever you go, allright?" The princess nodded again, reaching into her pocket to pull out a small wallet.

"This is some of the extra funds my father sent me with for this trip. I want you and your fellow ninja to use it to help protect me and make sure we reach our destination." Ino nodded, gratefully accepting the funds.

"Thank you, your highness. They will be used as best as possible to ensure the mission success. The inn is off in that direction. I will escort you there for now, but then I must leave to ensure the missions success."

Nodding again, the princess turned with the ship captain as the group set out for the inn. As they did so, Ino began taking a survey of their surroundings. 'Seems there are a lot of itinerant hands here' she thought the docks barely alive with activity during the middle of the day. It boded well for her prospects of finding a dependable crew to manage a land journey, one that was going to need an actual body rather than shadow clones. It however did not speak well of the towns conditions. Something was going on to make a trade city like the one they landed in be stuck at a standstill. From the reports she read before leaving for the mission, Snow country was having an industrial and economic renaissance. It was supposedly growing in leaps in bound. Truthfully, they were far from the actual site of the growth, the main city in the center of the country. But even still, if the reports were accurate it should have reached down to this part of the country as well.

'The reports were dated though. News from Snow country is hard to come by. I think they were around six months old at the time'. Thinking back to the changes around the Leaf village during the last six months, it made her shake her head. Tsunade had changed many things during the last six months by revealing Naruto's heritage and upgrading his status to that of a chunin. The news had caused quite a stir among the shopkeepers, leading many that had been unkind to the blond before to begin brimming with false friendship.

'The death threats from Iwa also began around that time'. It still surprised the young kunoichi that the country could hold so much hate toward Naruto's father even after the young blonde helped to set the world right. Still, many had been unhappy with his choice of placing the jinchuuriki in the smaller ninja villages. It was Naruto's belief that the larger ninja villages, with their numerous ninja, had enough power to easily create wars. It made no sense to give large nations like that then the power of the tailed beasts. To his mind, it made much more sense to pass the power to smaller villages and create a balance for lesser nations to resist wars occurring in their small areas. The only problem was that Naruto would have to retain his tailed beast until he was ready to pass on. At that time, the nine-tails would have to be resealed into a new container, supposedly one from the land of waves which Naruto had originally helped to establish as a gennin.

Ino continued to take in the docs and the changes of the city around them as they drew nearer to the inn. The inner parts of the city were just as dilapidated as the docks, raising her suspicions. 'There is definitely something going on here…guess I'll have to leave one of my clones with them just in case.' The inn drew closer, and soon enough the guards, princess, captain and kunoichi were all safely inside. "I'm going to be leaving you here with some extra protection your highness" Ino's voice cut through the small inn room, the princess nodding, and then calling out to her body double. Ino looked the body double over, noting the same exact face shapes and hair color. 'They almost look like twins…guess that's how the royal families go'. Ino meanwhile had gathered the necessary chakra, focusing both her water and earth elements inside of her. The kekkai genkai she had come to possess had occurred late in her life, closely shadowing the unfortunate death of Asuma. It had taken two years after the fall of Madara for her power to truly come into full blossom. The village leaders had been excited by the elemental combination, hoping for a resurgence of the wood manipulation bloodline. Sadly, that was not to be the case.

"Crystal Clone Jutsu" Ino's voice was a bare whisper as the swirls of charka and stone began to take shape. A crystalline body formed slowly, complete with an internal chakra structure, weapons, and abilities. It was even able to create and maintain genjutsu as well as use her families main ninjutsus. It was a living and solid clone, dispelled only through great trauma or damage. Ino felt her knees go weak as she completed the jutsu, the great amount of chakra required quickly draining her heavily.

"This clone is telepathically linked to me, and has a strength equal to about half of mine. It is hard to destroy, intelligent and has its own sentience" Ino gestured toward the clone, reaching into her pouch to pull out an additional soldier pill. 'Damn, two in twenty four hours. I'm going to have to send a messenger crow to Tsunade for more if this mission continues at this rate.' Ino grimaced as she bit down on the bitter pill. Its effects were instantaneous, but the after effects were going to wait until she fell into a troubled sleep that night. 'Can't worry about that now' Ino forced the thought from her head.

"I'll wait for you here" the doppelganger stated, drawing a sword from it's scabbard. "With the chakra you have given me, and with my ability to recover some, I should be viable for around five to seven days unless I am directly confronted." Ino nodded at this before the clone turned to the princess. "I am simulacrum of Miss Yamanaka, and will treat you as she would. I hope you do not underestimate my abilities, as I will be trying very hard to keep you alive. I may fail."

'Great, I created a pessimistic one again. Why are all my clones so gloomy?' The blonde shook her ponytail at this, before turning to apologize to the young princess. "I should be back in a few hours, I hope you will be fine with staying here until then."

"I should be alright, as long as the clone here doesn't depress me to death." The smile on the princess's face reassured Ino, causing her stifle a small giggle. Both of the look-alike's in the room rolled their eyes at the reactions of their charges. Turning with a smile on her face, Ino exited the room, placing one of Naruto's warning seals on the door as she closed it behind her. 'That should go off in anyone of serious chakra capacity besides one of us get's close to the building'.

Ino turned onto the busy city street, looking around at her surroundings. She was clothed in basic shinobi garb, her ninja pack and broadsword strapped to her waist. The leaf headband was around her shoulder, her jonin vest crossing her black top. Around her thighs were the weapon and medical pack she had been given by Tsunade. 'Dressed like this, I'll be able to get some serious responses. Unfortunately, I will probably attract some unwanted attention as well. Oh well, it should be known that leaf ninja like a Yamanaka are traveling. It leaves people on guard, and less likely to try anything foolish'.

Ino went from store to store, inquiring about the state of the city, the routes north that led to the capital, and the recent news. It turned out that there was quite a bit of unrest in the local city. It seemed that locals had found a sharp decline in trade thanks to a new group that had established itself in the far north, supplying food, armor, and other necessities to the capital. In the meantime, the boom that had helped grow the city had suddenly vanished as foreign trade was difficult. The news of the political marriage had also not helped, as the land of earth was the nearest trader and had recently reestablished hostilities with the land of fire. 'Naruto's legacy still is bringing him trouble it seems. Still, he didn't earn many friends in the great nations by giving the tailed beasts to the smaller nations and demanding the creation of the ambassador process. I wonder what he thinks of me being the leaf's ambassador to Snow.' Officially, the ambassadors were only supposed to serve in one of the five great nations. In recent years though, the Land of Snow had become such a powerful force that many were beginning to consider it a real contender. 'If what is going on here is any indication though, there may be some trouble brewing in the young nation.'

Ino thought on this as she went from store to store, her thoughts returning again and again to Naruto and his decision to create the ambassador program. 'I was selected for this by a lottery. It was bound to have been one of the remaining rookie nine. Still, I wish it didn't have to keep me away from Konoha'. Naruto's face surfaced again. 'God, why can't I stop thinking of him? It was a one night stand, why does he keep having to come back?' Ino was a little annoyed by the blondes repeated intrusions on her mind. She had enjoyed herself that night, though had honestly meant the incident to be nothing more than a one timer. Still, he definitely had his benefits. And a death contract signed to whoever he hitched up with. 'If any woman chooses to stay with him, she'll be hunted by Iwagakure, as well as many of the other villages just based on his recent choices. As it stands, he's just not worth that much to me at the moment.' Even still, her impending talk with her teammates did not have her thrilled. She had played the cold shoulder to them so far to avoid the conversation. It had been the death of Asuma that had reformed her as a kunoichi, leading her to pursue her elemental affinities and other jutsu. It had also helped her create a cold exterior, one that would not let her former emotional and childish ways get a teammate injured or killed. The change had shocked her mother, and saddened her father, but it had to be made. Even with the help of Shikimaru and Choji, the death of her sensei had left her raw. 'I still wish I could have helped Shikimaru in destroying that bastard Hidan.' Her rage fueled her search for information, eventually leading her to a large open space.

Steel tracks ran over the ground, and large machines whirred and clicked along. People milled around, thronging to and fro. Dressed as she was, Ino ignored the civilians and made her way to what appeared to be a front desk.

"All aboard for the commuter train north! All aboard!" The loud cry of the train manager startled Ino for a moment, as did the whistle of the machine as it lead away from the station. The milling of people lessoned for a second, many content to sit on the outdoor benches, waiting for the next train to arrive. It was a strange sight to Ino, as trains were not very common in the land of fire. The mountainous terrain and lack of advanced technology made the commodity unheard of in her home country. As she looked around, Ino began to notice the clocks and trinkets that were unheard of in Konoha.

'I might as well pick up something for the guys' Ino thought, feeling guilty about her lack of communication with Shikimaru and Choji in the recent years. 'Still, that can wait until after the mission is complete.' Approaching the counter, Ino noticed a grate that was drawn over the space between her and the office worker. "I'm interested in finding out the cost of a trip to the capital. I need a train that can handle lots of passengers, and is fairly secure. Cost is no conern." The man behind the counter was a little taken aback by the straight forward approach of the young woman, but nodded and placed a small brochure in front of her. His blue train station uniform was drawn tight against him, muscles apparent in his features. He had shock blue eyes, gray hair, and hairy hands. His skin was bleach white from lack of sun.

"That is a list of all the available commuter trains. There are also trade trains that carry specialty goods for the capital." His deep voice caught Ino off guard for a moment. It seemed to not fit the shocked reaction moments before. "Those tend to be relatively safer and carry guards with them for the protection of the goods from raiders. If you are interested in such a thing, I know someone who might be able to arrange that for a leaf shinobi." The man's final sentence made Ino tense for a moment. It was known that Konoha and Yumi were working together at this day and age, but it might also not be good to attract that sort of attention.

"Are you familiar working with ninja?" Ino inquired, locking the man in her eyesight. She was watching for any telltale signs of an informant, something that could majorly threaten the mission.

"I am very familiar working with ninja. This booth is sealed so that the public cannot see it, and exudes a chakra that is attractive to those who are familiar users." Ino verified the genjutsu quickly, but did not dispel it.

"Go on." So far the man had not slipped or shown any signs of lying, but Ino was still being careful.

"These were set up by her highness Yukie, and are in place to help ninja such as yourself find transport from one area to another. If you pay for the tickets here, they will not appear in the ledger and will be sealed from public view. How many will you need to purchase?" The man still had not given her a reason to doubt his intentions. Still, something about his reaction at first had her on edge.

"I will require six tickets. I am also looking to hire some local guards. If it's not too much trouble I will also need to secure my men within the ranks of the guards on the train, and have at least one, if not three of the cars set aside for my groups personal use." Ino continued to analyze the man, but his blue eyes betrayed nothing.

"I can acquire six tickets easily, that will not be a problem. The cars will have to be limited to one though, Miss Yamanaka." Ino tensed suddenly, memory crashing into her. 'This is Yoitsu Konabe, the genjutsu user of the north. The first ninja from the Snow village to land in the bingo books.' Ino's hand went quickly to her sword, her chakra flow flaring to prepare for combat.

"No need for hostilities young lady. I'm not really here at all right now. I'm merely an informant who hops from town to town, gathering info for the ruling family." The tickets in front of Ino felt solid as she picked them up, but as she focused her senses she realized just how fake the stand was. Where there should have been a corner on a row of five counters, a hollow area was hollowed out. Into that hollowed out area Ino had stepped when she approached the counter. A seal behind her had hidden her from the outside.

"As I said, I am merely an informant. I only ended up in the bingo book because of my information gathering abilities. As it stands though, you are a much more prominent figure in the bingo books." Ino shivered as she stood there, unable to shake the genjutsu effects. "It really would be a bother if you undid the genjutsu I've placed here. Please stop or things may become unpleasant." Ino felt a chill go through her as she recognized certain seals on the walls of the enclosure beginning to glow. "Those are explosive marks. If you keep struggling the way you are, I will set them off."

"How do I know that those are not a part of the illusion?" Ino countered, her cool and focus coming back to her. She closed her eyes, limiting the effect of the trap and focused her chakra into her sword. Before she knew it, the sword was drawn and pointed at the info booth.

"Can you afford not to assume that they are?" The cool calm voice of the opposing shinobi shook Ino's resolve. The tension dragged on for several moments, Ino's muscles itching for release.

"What is it that you want to know?" Ino sighed, defeat evident on her face. Her eyes remained closed though, and the charged sword at the ready.

"I need to know who is traveling with you. Queen Yukie received word that the Hokage was sending special ninja on the mission and needs to know which ones have been sent. The messenger hawk carrying the Hokage's response has not reached Yukie yet, and has caused a bit of a stir as of late."

A quick intake of breath from Ino betrayed the significance of this matter. 'That scroll was sealed to wipe out all ink that was on it if it was improperly delivered. However, it mentioned that Shizuna was on this mission. If anyone knows that alias, then Naruto and the Leaf village may be in serious danger.'

"Because of that, the Snow village has decided to send diplomatic envoys to each of the five great nations. It is in hopes that any foolishness that might soon result can be prevented."

Again, Ino was struck by the man's words as he had slapped her. 'That means that if Naruto was revealed here, the other nations would be in a sticky situation. They couldn't throw out the envoys if the nation that they are representing currently houses Naruto. At the same time, they couldn't attack the leaf if one of it's allies was meeting with them. If they did, it would bring down the wrath of the Snow and Sand villages.' Ino smiled as realization and acceptance hit her. 'I really need to thank this Queen Yukie when we arrive.'

"All right then, I guess I'll have to tell you about the mission and its parameters as the messenger hawk did not safely arrive."

Author's Note: This chapter is going to have a few parts to it, one focused on each character and building the necessary exposition I need for the story to really pick up. The next parts will feature Kiba, and finally one of Naruto. Tune into the final part for a possible Ino/Naruto scene if I get enough reviews! Until next time then, Read and Review please!


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